


Monster

by stelmosfire3103



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abused Harry Potter, Dark Ginny Weasley, Dark Harry Potter, Dark Hermione Granger, Dark Lady Ginny Weasley, Dark Lord Harry Potter, Descent into Madness, Evil Ginny Weasley, Evil Harry Potter, Evil Hermione Granger, F/F, F/M, Ginny is driven mad by Harry, Harems, Harry is in a way like Tom Riddle, Hermione has a split personality, Insane Ginny Weasley, Insane Harry Potter, Insane Hermione Granger, M/M, Multi, Psychological Torture, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:46:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29986533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stelmosfire3103/pseuds/stelmosfire3103
Summary: Harry Potter is known in the Wizarding World as the Boy-Who-Lived. But few really know-or care-what this boy has gone through. Yet the Darkness in his mind still grows. A New Dark Lord may rise from the Wizarding World's faults.
Relationships: Astoria Greengrass/Harry Potter, Cho Chang/Harry Potter, Daphne Greengrass/Harry Potter, Hannah Abbott/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell/Harry Potter, Lavender Brown/Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood/Harry Potter, Padma Patil/Harry Potter, Parvati Patil/Harry Potter, Susan Bones/Harry Potter, Tracey Davis/Harry Potter
Comments: 40
Kudos: 38





	1. A Boy in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> This is my first Harry Potter work, although I have published some stories before in another sites, this has taken me a lot of time to perfect. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Please comment, because it helps me know what you guys think of the story's tone.
> 
> Warning: this is seriously fucked up. If you need help, there's many sources of support you have. I do not endorse any of this, but I am merely writing it as art. And in some ways to satisfy my kinks. This is going to be a dark retelling of the seven Harry Potter books.
> 
> Updates may not be continuous, but I want you to know that I will never abandon this work.
> 
> I may also recommend some songs, depending on the chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

_" His little whispers...  
Love me, love me!  
That's all I ask for, love me, love me!  
He battered his tiny fists, to feel something....  
Wondered what it's like to touch, and feel something."  
_Meg & Dia, "Monster".__

Harry Potter was numb. How he knew, he couldn’t say, but he knew that when he did things other kids did that made them laugh and smile, he didn’t. For some reason, he felt no positive feelings in those moments.

Not that he felt many positive feelings at all.

Ever since Harry could remember, he had no parents, for they had died in a car crash when he was 1, which had left Harry an orphan with a lightning shaped scar. Harry lived with his uncles, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and their stupid son Dudley. They forced him to sleep locked away in the cupboard under the stairs, where there was not enough space for sleeping, but there was enough space for shadows to lurk in the walls.

He had to stay in his cupboard, only coming out when Aunt Petunia told him to. The first time Harry remembered having come out of the cupboard when he was not supposed to, Aunt Petunia slapped him in the face with the broom, breaking his nose. He was only 4.

Harry had learned to come out only if he really needed to.

When Dudley turned 6, Harry was allowed to sit at the table with his friends as they sang Happy Birthday. He soon noticed something was really off. Everyone was staring at him as the singing eventually stopped.

Uncle Vernon picked him up like a rag doll, and dragged him out of the kitchen.

He punched Harry viciously in the face, roaring about how Harry was a freak, and stuttering something about not smiling.

Harry had learned to smile whenever he was with “normal” people. Even though he didn’t know what happiness was. To him it felt like a cloak, a cloak he could take off when the shadows came out to play, his only friends. And so Harry learned to always wear a mask.

Harry was not allowed to come out of the cupboard for a week, and the shadows started talking and mocking him, with confusing dreams about a flying motorbike and a blinding green light awakening him at night.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia never fed Harry enough, which had caused him to look extremely scrawny and weak.  
So the voices spoke to Harry, proposing that he steal some food from the pantry.

This time, his entire hand was burnt by Aunt Petunia.

The scars didn’t last long, strangely, seemingly completely fading away after a few hours.

Harry was a freak, and everyone made sure he didn’t forget it.

Dudley’s friends were big and brutish, and their favorite sport was beating up Harry at school.

Once, when Harry was 9, Piers Polkiss got injured badly as he chased down Harry and tripped over something that wasn’t there.

His leg broke, and Harry suddenly noticed he was smiling as Piers howled in pain, blood pooling around his leg.

Harry kept smiling, even when nurses got to Piers, relishing the feeling of his first smile.  
He kept smiling even when his teeth and tongue got all bloodied from the beating Dudley gave him as revenge for Piers.

He kept smiling.

Harry was now ten, and as he grew up, so did the voices.

They spoke to him of the Dursleys dying in agony, and him feeling that same warm sensation he felt when Piers fell, because he was strong, and they were weak, because they could not bear to suffer once what Harry had suffered all of his life, and that made Harry happy.

And Harry sometimes became angry because of all that he had to endure, and because the world had made him embrace the darkness, and that he wanted to make them feel like he felt, broken. And he pulled his hair, bit his nails, and pounded his fists, and his hands turned bloody, but then the voices soothed him with stories of someone who understood him, a girl who could love a monster like him.

That’s all Harry asked for. Love.

But he knew that he didn’t deserve it.

But the voices calmed him and spoke to him of madness, and he smiled, his emptiness becoming a warm, comfortable feeling.

And the voices slowly went away, merging with Harry each day that passed.

Harry came to realize that people were afraid of darkness, and that made sense to him, because he was darkness, and people were scared of him.

And he realized too he could do things other kids couldn’t, and that Piers’ accident was no accident.

He didn’t know how, but he thought, if it makes them even more scared, the better.

And he laughed, he laughed with mirth, as he fell asleep, his darkness claiming him.

* * *

It was Dudley’s eleventh birthday, and Harry awoke to the sound of Aunt Petunia banging on the cupboard door.

“UP! FREAK! UP!"  


" I’m going.” 

He felt her trudge away, muttering something about ungrateful brats.

Harry slipped out of bed and put on his socks, pulling a spider out.

“Disgusting little creature.” 

He held it in his hands, and for a moment it stayed put.

Then Harry ripped out its legs, with a cold smile.

He put on his shoes, and opened the door.

Whenever it was Dudley’s birthday, Harry was left with a mad old lady named Mrs. Figg, who did nothing but talk about her cats.

Today was no exception.

But today Miss Figg had to go run some errands at London.

_‘Good, that’s good. She’ll leave me alone today.’ ___

____

____

The ride on the subway was uneventful, except for the usual worried looks Harry was met by wherever he went.

_‘Fuckers. I wonder how they would react if they knew what I’ve been through. They probably wouldn’t care.’ ___

____

____

Harry was left at a park at Chelsea, while Mrs. Figg ran errands some down the street. 

Harry sat down quietly into a bench, and felt empty. As usual.

Suddenly, he was spurred into action by a girl’s voice.

“I can fill a room or just one heart. Others can have me, but I can't be shared. What am I?”

".....Loneliness."

He looked up to find a girl with bushy brown hair looking at him with an impressed look. She was sitting on the grass of the park upon a blanket, reading a book.

"Does it really stand out?" Harry asked.

"Yes, it does. But if you ask me, it's better to be lonely than dumb, and you're certainly more intelligent than anyone our age I've ever met."

"Considering almost all of them are brainless gits, I can't say I'm surprised" Harry answered doing a sound without thinking, which he then realized was him chuckling.

The girl grinned at him, and Harry noticed she had rather large front teeth.

"Hermione Granger. A pleasure" the girl said sticking out her hand.

"Harry Potter. Ditto."

Harry plopped down next to her and returned to his activity to watching all of the people passing by, his face without emotion.

Hermione seemed to like it this way, as she barely made a sound too while reading a book Harry did not recognize.

"So..." Hermione asked, startling Harry, "What do you enjoy doing?"

"Uh, bloody hell, I don't know..." he chuckled humorlessly. "What do you like to do, Hermione?"

"Performing mock surgeries on my dolls" she answered straightforwardly.

"What about your friends?" asked Harry, slightly taken aback by this answer.

"I don't have friends" answered Hermione glumly, "except, you know, you."

"I don't either. Having a friend...it is...it's..."

"Nice? Pleasant?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry, it's a new experience for me too, Harry."

Harry found himself smiling his first true grin. The first grin he had not learned to rehearse.

They sat in silence again for a while, and Harry sighted a squirrel and got an idea.

"Hermione?"

"Huh?"

"Wait here. I think you'll like this."

He stood up and started approaching the squirrel which started running away once he got too close.

Harry didn't give up, chasing the squirrel around the playground and into a nearby patch of trees.

The squirrel narrowly slipped away from him and climbed into a tall elm.

Harry frowned at not getting his prey, and suddenly, he felt a hot, burning rage through his body.

And he leaped.

He jumped almost 2 meters in the air, grabbing a hold of a branch and clawing savagely at the tree.

Upon landing, he grinned widely as he saw the squirrel writhing in-between his hands.

His heart was beating almost out of his chest as he grabbed the squirrel from its hind legs, and his grin widened almost unnaturally.

And then he snapped its neck.

He could sense a warm feeling throughout his body as he felt its blood run through his palm.

As he returned to Hermione, the feeling dissolved as he saw her shocked face.

_'Now you've done it'_ , said a voice inside his head, _'You've driven away the only friend you've ever known, with your sick tendencies and abnormality.'_

_____ _

_____ _

____

____

Harry could not deny he was scared of what she thought, but he snapped right back.

_'If she didn't want me to kill the little fucker, why did she tell me about her doing surgeries?!!!'_

__

__

_'Because she was trying to get to know you better, about your interests!!!!!! Not that a monster like you would have any healthy interests.'_

__

__

_'You're wrong! She's going to still be my friend! You'll see.' ___

__

__

__

__

In the end, Harry knew he was trying to convince himself, but it didn't make things easier.

"I-I brought you a patient. For your surgeries" Harry said to her holding out the squirrel corpse.

She fell silent for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"Nice."

A volcano of relief exploded in Harry's insides, and he let out a soft laugh.

She laid the corpse down on the blanket, and Harry noticed right then, she had a beaded handbag strapped to her waist.

She proceeded to open it and out came a scalpel with some rubber gloves.

"I normally use a face-mask, but I don't think it's a necessity today."

She put on the gloves and tentatively poked the squirrel, her face a cold, calculating look; Harry made a mental note that day to never cross Hermione.

She grabbed the scalpel and cut up the animal's belly, blood beads spurting out and splattering her gloves.

She worked silently until its belly was completely bisected along the ribcage.

Hermione gave Harry a mischievous look and split the squirrel open.

Harry looked on, astonished as she examined every one of its organs.

She stopped a moment to look at the heart.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, and she dropped the scalpel next to the body, and her hand started clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

Harry's amazed face turned into one of uncontainable astonishment, as he realized the squirrel's heart was beating again, following Hermione's rhythm.

"How are you doing that?"

"I-I don't know. The same way you jumped and caught the squirrel, I guess?"

Hermione's fist sped up, and suddenly the heart exploded, tiny blood drops splattering Harry and Hermione.

They looked at each other for a moment silently, Hermione with a cold, satisfied smile.

And then they both burst out laughing.

They laid on the grass for a bit chuckling, until Hermione spoke up.

"That was..."

"Bloody amazing!?"

"I was going to say sick and wrong...but that works too."

"I felt... I felt! I fucking felt something!"

"You...what?"

"I have never felt anything, neither good nor bad feelings until now..."

"You're joking, right?"

"Nope. I literally live in a cupboard under the stairs. I barely get fed each day. I've seen more spiders in my life than actual people!"

"Your....your parents do that to you?!"

"I don't have parents. I live with my uncles and my cousin Dudley. You would not even believe we're related, I'm pretty sure Dudley's half pig!" he laughed.

Hermione didn't seem to be laughing though.

"That's not good, Harry. You should seek some help."

"Hermione. Be realistic. Who would fucking help me? I have no family, no one else to live with...Besides, don't act so high and mighty, you weren't a bit scared of me when I killed the little fucker."

"But, that's...just for anatomical knowledge, Harry! Besides, it's not healthy."

"Yet you enjoyed it."

"Who cares if I did, it's not right! I'll never fit into normal society if I keep doing that."

"Doesn't one part of you get tired of faking it, of pretending?"

"It doesn't matter, all that matters is that you need to know how to pretend and no one will know."

"I know, but, fuck it, wouldn't it be great if you could just perform surgery whenever you wanted, on whatever you wanted?"

"It's never going to happen, Harry."

"But don't you dream about it?"

Hermione blushed as if she was saying something improper.

"Maybe...maybe there's a part of me that does. But no one can know about it."

"It must be easier, having an actual family..."

"My dads are dentists..." Hermione said as if to change the subject," I live here in London, on a flat in Chelsea."

"My uncle works in a drill making firm, he lives with us back south, on Surrey."

"So who brought you here?"

"See that barmy old lady in there, walking towards the park?” said Harry pointing, "That's Mrs. Figg. A neighbor who's so old and so barmy I don't think she knows I'm not even Uncle Vernon's son, but somehow manages to remember every single name of all the cats she's ever owned."

"Well, I guess that means we probably won't be seeing each other again, Harry. If it makes you feel better, I had a great time with you."

"Same here, Hermione."

She stood up and reached up to him, and Harry thought she was going to punch him like Dudley often did.

Instead, she just hugged him.

At that moment, Harry cursed at the world because this was the only moment of normalcy he had ever had.


	2. A Giant Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Most of the dialogue in scene with Hagrid was lifted directly from the book. Mainly because I couldn't quite get the hang of Hagrid's accent.

On the month following Dudley's birthday, and Harry's encounter with the strange girl, Hermione, not a lot happened.

School ended as usual, with the same kind of apathy towards Harry as always.

He'd kept thinking about Hermione, regretting his own stupidity at not even asking her where she studied, or how they could contact each other.

 _'It doesn't matter anyway'_ , thought Harry, _'she told me it was likely we'd never see each other again...She was probably terrified of me...'_

__

__

Harry was curious, however, how a person would want to hide the things they liked, as Hermione did just after they killed the squirrel.

It seemed mad, at least to Harry, that a person actively tried to repress their impulses, just to fit in the normal world.

It was different, Harry decided, than the mask he wore, because he was hiding who he truly was, not trying to reject it. 

_'Maybe Hermione wants to be a good person.'_

__

__

Harry thought that was stupid. After all, Aunt Petunia was always telling Uncle Vernon how he was a good man, and how Dudley was a pure soul.

He'd seen people being good at school, helping each other. Giving for almost nothing in return.

They were good, and when Harry appeared with bruises on his body every day, they did nothing.

Harry decided he didn't want to be good.

"BOY! I'M SPEAKING TO YOU!" Uncle Vernon's voice roared.

"Sorry."

"Shouldn't have allowed you in here to eat breakfast...arrogant brat...GO GET THE POST!"

Harry scurried out of the kitchen as Uncle Vernon took a sip out of his coffee, and Aunt Petunia glared at him.

He walked to the doormat and found three things.

1\. A bill wrapped in a brown envelope. Worthless.

2\. A postcard from Aunt Marge, Uncle Vernon's sister, who was on holiday at the Isle of Wight. Marge, as most other people Harry had met in his life, was hated by Harry.  
She was an almost carbon copy of Uncle Vernon, except female. She was a fat, stupid, ugly wench who made Harry's life hell in the few days a year she came to visit. She raised bulldogs that had an uncanny resemblance to her. Even more worthless.

3\. An envelope written on yellow parchment.

Harry grabbed everything, and took a closer look at the envelope.

It was heavy and thick, or at least that's how it seemed to Harry, who had experience with posts because Uncle Vernon always made him go get them; Harry also noticed the strange purple wax seal: it contained a coat of arms, with a lion, a snake, a badger and an eagle surrounding a large letter 'H'.

He flipped it over, and his heart started racing. There, on emerald-green ink, was his own name.

Someone had written to him.

" Mr H. Potter  
The Cupboard under the Stairs  
4 Privet Drive  
Little Whinging  
Surrey"

"BOY! WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG?"

Harry rushed back to the kitchen and handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, keeping the letter to himself.

Uncle Vernon didn't linger long on the bill, as expected, and he started reading the postcard, while Harry carefully opened his own post.

"Marge's taken ill. Ate some bad seafood."

_'Good. I hope she dies.'_

Harry had just taken the letter out without damaging the envelope, when Dudley yelled: 

"Dad? Harry got something." 

_'Fuck you, Dudley.'_

__

__Vernon snatched the letter from Harry, and to his surprise, went pale._ _

__"Petunia. Petunia. It's finally here."_ _

__Aunt Petunia walked over to Uncle Vernon, and went pale too._ _

__"Out. Now."_ _

__"What does it say, Dad?"_ _

__"OUT! RIGHT. FUCKING. NOW!"_ _

Harry and Dudley ran off, closing the door behind them. They promptly turned around and started eavesdropping. 

__"I don't know what we were to expect, Vernon. It was bound to happen."_ _

__"They even know Harry's in the cupboard! For all we know, they could be hearing what we're saying now."_ _

__"What can we do, Vernon?"_ _

__"We-we'll put Harry, in a new room. We'll ignore the letters. If we don't receive them...They-they will stop sending them."_ _

__"We must keep this from him. No matter the cost. He must not know of his....abnormality."_ _

Harry was confused by this.

He was already a freak. Why would they keep anything from him? 

The next few days were bedlam. 

The day immediately after the incident, 2 letters came addressed to Harry. 

The next day 4. 

On Thursday, 16. 

40\. 

100\. 

Uncle Vernon had boarded up the door cracks, and the windows were kept locked at all times. 

This was bad, because it was mid-July. 

Moreover, whomever was sending Harry post, knew Harry had moved to the new bedroom, Dudley's spare one, where he fit everything that did not fit in his main room. 

It was strange for Harry to be the center of attention, but it didn't bother him. 

He liked to feel special, because he was very little used to that sensation. 

On the morning of Sunday, Uncle Vernon was unnervingly happy. 

"It's Sunday.....n-no more ruddy letters today....I love Sundays....no letters...." 

In fact, Uncle Vernon was so happy he'd even forgotten to ignore Harry. 

Coincidentally Harry was happy too, but for a whole another reason. 

Today was his birthday. July 31st. 

Uncle Vernon even bothered to give Harry a barely audible congratulations. 

Aunt Petunia and Dudley looked at Harry's uncle with concern, like he'd gone mad. 

Harry knew this look very well, because it was the look he'd always get whenever he went out. 

In any case, Harry finished his breakfast quietly. 

He was just about to go to his room and do nothing, one of his favorite activities, when it happened. BOOM. 

* * *

____

__The door shook violently, as someone knocked loudly._ _

__"P-Petunia. Dudley. Keep close to me", whimpered Uncle Vernon as he clumsily walked over to the kitchen counter, and grabbed a large knife._ _

__BOOM._ _

__CRACK._ _

__The door swung open, and in came a giant._ _

__He was nothing like the giants Harry had ever seen in books. He was about 2 meters tall, meaning he had to crouch to pass through the doorframe. His hair was tangled, with a large shaggy beard covering most of his chest. Harry saw him wearing something that looked like a coat, if coats were the size of picnic blankets. His eyes were black, like those beetles Harry had seen in stereotypical cartoons depicting Egypt._ _

__"Couldn't get us a glass o' water, could yeh? It's ruddy hot out there."_ _

__The Dursleys did not make a sound, keeping away from the giant, while Harry felt curious._ _

__"An' here's Harry!" said the giant._ _

__Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile. It was not a fake smile, like the one Harry always had plastered on for guests, nor the cruel smile the Dursleys gave Harry. No, this was a pure smile, full of glee, and Harry was reminded of Father Christmas._ _

__"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."_ _

__Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise._ _

__"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"_ _

__"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he jerked over, plucked the knife out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room._ _

__Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on._ _

__"Anyway -- Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here -- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."_ _

__From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing._ _

__Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"_ _

__The giant chuckled._ _

__"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."_ _

__He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm._ _

__"What about that water then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."_ _

__The giant sat down in the sofa, which bent under his weight, and started attempting to fish something out of his coat._ _

__"I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."_ _

__The giant took a gulp out of a flask with some amber liquid, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand._ _

__"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course._ _

__"Er -- no," said Harry._ _

__Hagrid looked shocked._ _

__"Sorry," Harry said quickly._ _

__"Sorry ?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"_ _

__"All what?" asked Harry._ _

__"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"_ _

__He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole house. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall._ _

__"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy -- this boy! -- knows nothin' abou' -- about ANYTHING?"_ _

__Harry was starting to like Hagrid less and less. If Hagrid knew what Harry had gone through, which it seemed like he did, why didn't he rescue him?_ _

__"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff."_ _

__But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."_ _

__"What world?"_ _

__Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode._ _

__"DURSLEY!" he boomed._ _

__Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry._ _

__"But yeh must know about yer mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."_ _

__Harry was suddenly overcome with a blind, seething rage that pulsed through his blood, but he didn't show it, as he had learned to mask his true self._ _

__He was famous? Did these people know what he'd been through? Why did they force him to live through it, all of the horrors Harry had suffered?_ _

__No, he definitely didn't like these people. Not that he liked many people at all._ _

__"What? My -- my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"_ _

__"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know... " Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare._ _

__"Yeh don' know what yeh are ?" he said finally._ _

__Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice._ _

__"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"_ _

__A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage._ _

__"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"_ _

__"Kept what from me?" said Harry unable to contain himself._ _

__"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic._ _

__Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror._ _

__"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry -- yer a wizard."_ _

__A heavy silence reigned over the room, as Harry took in what those words meant._ _

__It made sense. That's why Piers fell over, and why a teacher's wig once turned blue, and why he was able to catch a squirrel that was on a tree._ _

__Did that mean, the girl, Hermione, was a...witch?_ _

__Harry shook his head. It was all mad. It was his mind playing tricks on him. But then why could the Dursleys see Hagrid?_ _

__"I'm a what ?" gasped Harry._ _

__"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."_ _

__Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. He pulled out the letter and read:_ _

__HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_ _

__Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_ _

__(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_ _

__Dear Mr. Potter,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._ _

__Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._ _

__Yours sincerely,_ _

__Minerva McGonagall,_ _

__Deputy Headmistress_ _

_'This is it. I've fucking gone mad.'_ He would have let out a nervous laugh, but restrained himself.

__"What does it mean, they await my owl?"_ _

__"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl -- a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl -- a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:_ _

__Dear Professor Dumbledore,_ _

__Given Harry his letter._ _

__Taking him to buy his things tomorrow._ _

__Weather's hot. Hope you're well._ _

__Hagrid_ _

__Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the street. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone._ _

__Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly._ _

__"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved to face Hagrid._ _

__"He's not going," he said._ _

__Hagrid grunted._ _

__"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said._ _

__"A what?" said Harry, interested._ _

__"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you  
grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."_ _

__"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"_ _

__"You knew ?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a -- a wizard?"_ _

__"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that -- that school -- and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was -- a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"_ _

__She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years._ _

__"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as -- as -- abnormal -- and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"__

__Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"_ _

____

____

_'This is mad. I've gone mad. Hahahaha...'_

__"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!"_ _

__"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently._ _

__The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious._ _

__"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh -- but someone's gotta -- yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."_ _

__He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys._ _

__"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh -- mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..."_ _

__He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with - - with a person called -- but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows--"_ _

__"Who?"_ _

__"Well -- I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."_ _

__"Why not?"_ _

__"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..."_ _

__Hagrid gulped, but no words came out._ _

__"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested._ _

__"Nah -- can't spell it. All right -- Voldemort." Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this -- this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too -- some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him -- an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway."_ _

__"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side."_ _

__"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' -- an'--"_ _

__Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn._ _

__"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad -- knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find-- anyway..."_ _

__"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then -- an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing -- he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh -- took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even -- but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age -- the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts -- an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."_ _

_'He-he killed that many people? Huh.'_

__Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before -- and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh. Like his own laughter after he killed the squirrel._ _

_'My parents...so it's his fault!'_ His vision turned red again, as he realized the reason he had to live with the Dursleys. _'Fucking Voldemort. All of this is his fault. My stupid parents...why were so fucking stupid...They left me...left me alone....FUCK THEM!'_

__Hagrid was watching him sadly._ _

__"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..."_ _

__"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched._ _

__"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured -- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion -- asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types -- just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end--"_ _

__But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley - - I'm warning you -- one more word..."_ _

__In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent._ _

__"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor._ _

__Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them._ _

__"But what happened to Vol-, sorry -- I mean, You-Know-Who?"_ _

__"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see... he was gettin' more an' more powerful -- why'd he go?"_ _

__"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back."_ _

__"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on -- I dunno what it was, no one does -- but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."_ _

__Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, Harry wanted to strangle him, Voldemort, and his dead parents. No one seemed to realize just how long Harry had been alone. Far too long. He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; he'd killed animals, and laughed when people got hurt, and he enjoyed the darkness far too much. No. Hagrid was very wrong if he believed that Harry was grateful towards anyone in that world._ _

__His thoughts then turned happier. He dreamed of all the ways he would get back at the Dursleys and Hagrid and everyone who'd left him to rot, with his newfound magical powers... He didn't want to be good. He wanted to be evil. He wanted to make Voldemort look like an amateur._ _

__Harry grinned broadly, looking up at Harry._ _

__But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight._ _

__"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish -- spell books and wands and--"_ _

__"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled--"_ _

__"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon._ _

__But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER -- " he thundered, " -- INSULT -- ALBUS -- DUMBLEDORE -- IN -- FRONT -- OF -- ME!"_ _

__He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley -- there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers._ _

__Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them._ _

__Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard._ _

__"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."_ _

__He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows._ _

__"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm -- er -- not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff -- one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job."_ _

__"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry._ _

__"Oh, well -- I was at Hogwarts meself but I -- er -- got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."_ _

__"Why were you expelled?"_ _

__"It's almost noon and we've got lots ter do today," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."_ _

__"Hagrid?"_ _

__"Yeh?"_ _

__"Is-is this real?"_ _

__Hagrid shook his head, laughing._ _

__He led Harry out through the door into the sweltering heat._ _

_'He's an oblivious idiot. Still, even though he's a dumb oaf, he holds lots of respect for me. And through the looks of it, looks like other wizards do too...Heh, this should be fun...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the fic is going slow, but I am trying to cover 2 chapters per chapter.


	3. New Friends, New Masks

"C'mon Harry. It's a few more blocks down Charing Cross."

Harry tried to keep up, but Hagrid took 5 steps for every single one Harry took, and soon enough Harry found himself jogging.

The ride on to London from Little Whinging had been uneventful. Or at least, that's how it had seemed to Harry because he was just really anxious to really focus on anything else apart from Hagrid.

"Hagrid?"

"Yea?"

"How am I going to pay for my school supplies? I don't suppose you have some spare pounds lying around inside your pockets?"

"Ha, nah. You see, us folk pay with a whole another currency. You see, there's Galleons, they're some gold coins, they be the most valuable ones. Then come Sickles, silver coins. And then there are Knuts, the little bronze ones. 17 Sickles to a Galleon and 29 Knuts to a Sickle. It's simple enough."

"But...I don't have neither pounds nor your coins?"

"Then we go to the bank, the wizards' bank, Gringotts. You already have a vault there."

"I-I do?"

"Well, it was yer parents before-" he snorted loudly," in any case you have a small fortune, we are only going to take what you'll need for this year. Yes, yes...Gringotts. Very special place, you'd have to be mad to rob it."

"Why?"

"Because it's run by the Goblins. Stingy ones, those Goblins. But very intelligent. In any case assuming you get past the Goblins, (which I don't reckon you could) you would still have to find your way. Ya see, the gold is stored in vaults, deep underground, deeper than the Muggles' tunnels. It would take years to find your way out, even if you managed to slip something out of a vault. There's supposed to be traps, also."

"What kind of traps?"

"No one knows for sure, cuz no one has ever successfully robbed Gringotts. I've meself heard that there are some dragons. Blimey, dragons are cool."

_'That's brilliant.' ___

__Hagrid came to halt seemingly out of nowhere, near a record shop and a book shop, at a black dusty door._ _

__"Here it is. The Leaky Cauldron. Best pub in all of London, some may say all of Britain."_ _

__Hagrid stepped in, Harry behind him._ _

Harry started seriously questioning Hagrid's taste. 

_'This place's a shithole.' ___

____Suddenly a gasp rose out of every corner of the small, smelly pub._ _ _ _

____"Could it be...?"_ _ _ _

____"Merlin's beard...."_ _ _ _

____"It's him, no doubt..."_ _ _ _

____A tiny, bald, hunchbacked man waddled up to them, smiling a toothless grin and making an over-the-top curtsy._ _ _ _

____"Mr. Potter... It's an honor."_ _ _ _

____Harry smiled broadly as he took in what this meant._ _ _ _

_'They love me already....F-for being me! Gosh....My face is a ticket into earning their trust...my story is a key to their hearts... Hagrid was right...all of this and they don't even know who I really am. Oblivious bastards...I could use this to my advantage....' ___

__

__

______Hagrid cleared his throat anxiously._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Hey Tom, we can't linger long in here. Got some important Hogwarts business, you know."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Oh, that's a pity..." said. the bald man, apparently the barman named Tom, "there are many people who'd like to meet you, Mr. Potter."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"It'll have to be for another time-Oh, Professor Quirrell! Fancy seein' you here."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Hagrid was talking to another wizard. He was lanky and twitchy, with a purple turban wrapped around his head._ _ _ _ _ _

______"H-hello...R-Rubeus... And this must b-be Mr. P-Potter. Pleased to make your a-acquaintance."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Harry would have laughed at his stutter, but decided not to._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Harry, this is Professor Quirinus Quirrell. He's going to be yer Defence against the Dark Arts teacher this year."_ _ _ _ _ _

"Defence against the Dark Arts? Is there a Dark Arts course too?"

"N-no, Mr. Potter. Professor D-Dumbledore has that strictly b-banned. But I c-could recommend some books, should you like?"

Hagrid gripped Harry's shoulder tightly, hurting him, and answered Quirrell in a gruff voice.

"No, thank you, Professor. That won't be necessary. C'mon Harry. We still got supplies to buy."

Harry reluctantly bid Quirrell goodbye, and trudged after Hagrid.

"You don't want to go around asking about things like that, Harry", said Hagrid as soon as they exited through a backdoor to a small alley,"Folks might get the wrong idea."

_'It's not your business what I want to ask about or not, stupid idiot.'_

"Ok Hagrid. It won't happen again."

"Attaboy. Now, let's see...three up, two across..." Hagrid tapped a brick wall with his pink umbrella, which promptly caused it to move until it became an archway.

Nope, Harry wasn't mad at all. The arch led through to a cobblestone alley, with whimsical buildings on both sides of the street. The stores weren't like those Harry had seen in Charing Cross, no, this ones sold everything from cauldrons, to broomsticks, to potion ingredients.

"Welcome, to Diagon Alley."

_'Brilliant...'_

Hagrid walked down the street, and his size made the crowd part easily, so Harry just had to stick behind him, and soon they were in front of a tall white building with roman pillars.

"This here is Gringotts. Stick close to me, this place is huge."

They walked through a pair of doors and entered a marble hall. In contrast to what Harry had seen outside, this did look like a Muggle Bank, except the tellers were not musty old men, but musty old goblins.

A goblin, Harry, thought, was extremely ugly. It had a big swollen head with a pointy nose and ears, and little black eyes that gave Harry a sense of mistrust. All in all, the goblins were just a bit smaller than him, not larger than 1,35m.

Hagrid walked up to a teller and asked about Harry's vault.

Immediately Harry noticed a tone of disdain towards Hagrid. Harry assumed that it was because of his size.

The goblin walked up to them and led them through a side door, which led into a hallway lit up with torches, through which there was a gap in the floor, filled with a track.

"Please keep your appendages in the cart at all times. Gringotts reserves the right to sue if an accident happens disrupting our transport system."

The Goblin, apparently named Griphook, let out a whistle and quickly a cart came rushing from far away to stop at their section of the track.

Harry took a seat beside Hagrid, and the cart started again like a whirlwind.

The Dursleys had never taken Harry out to an amusement park like they did Dudley, but Harry assumed this was the feeling of riding in a rollercoaster.

The track twisted and turned, and down, down, down they went.

After some minutes of Hagrid breathing heavily to keep himself from vomiting, they came to a sudden halt.

The goblin led them through a small passage, which had large steel doors, which Harry assumed were the vaults.

"One moment please", said Griphook as he stuck out a long pointy finger towards one door. Magically, the door disappeared, and Harry was left staring at a large pile of coins.

_'Bloody Hell.'_

Hagrid entered the vault, and using his gigantic hands as a scooper, put as many coins as fit inside a leather bag. By the time he was done, they hadn't even withdrawn 1% of what was in Harry's vault.

Harry took the money into his hands greedily, daydreaming about the things he could buy with his newfound fortune.

Harry smiled again as the cart left to make the ascent to the surface back again.

After asking Hagrid if he could go buying alone, (which he accepted, because he had to attend some more business at the bank that Harry didn't give a shit about) Harry started buying through all of the items in his list....plus some more items.

For example, at Flourish and Blotts, the bookshop, he bought all of his school books. He also purchased a book called Curses and Counter-Curses, by Professor Vindictus Viridian. It looked interesting, and though Harry admitted he'd still need a lot of training before he could do any of the curses, he thought he'd buy it nonetheless.

He then stumbled upon a shop called Quality Quidditch Supplies. It was being swarmed by a lot of kids around Harry's age. It would have taken ages for Harry to reach the first place in line, but a small show of his scar to the shopkeeper quickly solved this problem. Harry ended up buying a Nimbus 2000, the fastest broom available on the market. Upon exiting he was smiling brightly. He'd never had the chance to buy something nice for himself. He didn't know how to play that Quidditch sport yet, but like all of the things he'd bought, he'd done so on an impulse. If you've got lots of money, spend it as you like, right?

_'Let's see...what's next... School robes.'_

He walked up to a shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

The small plump witch running the shop quickly recognized that Harry was looking for school robes, and so he wound up standing next to a kid with platinum blonde hair, both of them being measured by tapes hovering in mid air.

"Hello, are you going to Hogwarts too?"

"I wouldn't be fitting myself now if I wasn't, would I?" said Harry sarcastically.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't" answered the boy with a laugh.

"Who did you come with?" asked the boy.

"This guy named Hagrid. He's the gamekeeper of Hogwarts."

"I've heard of him. I heard he gets drunk and sometimes sets fire to his hut trying to do magic."

"From knowing him so far...it wouldn't surprise me...." Harry laughed in agreement.

"What about your parents?"

"They're dead."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Who do you live with?"

"My Muggle Aunt and Uncle. Stupid beings Muggles are."

"Ha. Yeah, Muggles are the worst. I hope you didn't have it so bad at their house."

"You have no idea..."

"What's your name?"

"Would you keep a secret?"

The boy raised his eyebrows.

"Ok...."

"I'm Harry Potter."

The boy's expression turned into one of disbelief as Harry showed him the scar.

"Merlin's beard. It's really you..."

"Now, what's your name?"

"Draco. Draco Malfoy."

"So, what's it like to be raised by wizards, Draco?"

"It's the best of times, Harry. You get to play Quidditch....Do you know how to play Quidditch?"

"Not yet, but I just bought a Nimbus 2000 broom."

"Wow. You might want to keep it hidden, you see, 1st years are not allowed to have brooms of their own."

"Now that's just stupid."

"I know, right? There's no way I'm not going to bully my father into buying me one. I'll smuggle it too, and I could teach you Quidditch at Hogwarts."

"That'd be fun" Harry answered as the tape folded itself, signaling that Harry's measurements were done. "I'll see you at Hogwarts, Draco."

"Ditto, Harry."

Harry paid for his robes and went to find the last item on his list, his wand.

He came into the wand shop, called Ollivander's.

It was really dark inside, and Harry was startled by the old shopkeeper appearing suddenly.

"Mr. Potter...It is my pleasure to have you in here...My name is Garrick Ollivander, and I'll be selling you your wand, your foremost instrument for your magic, and as such for your life as a wizard."

Harry was startled to complete silence.

"Let's see...Beechwood and dragon heartstring...9 inches, nice and flexible..." he handed a wand to Harry, but almost immediately snapped it away.

"No, no, what was I thinking...no, the son of willow and mahogany can't be beechwood...let's try this one. Maple, phoenix feathers, 7 inches, whippy....no, no, no...but the phoenix might be right..." Mr. Ollivander went from here to there, shuffling wand boxes and muttering incoherent sentences.

"Hm....Holly and phoenix feather, 11 inches, nice and supple..." He handed it to Harry, and immediately he felt a warmth in his fingers.

Mr. Ollivander clapped.

"Bravo, Mr. Potter....rather remarkable, isn't it...."

"What is remarkable, sir?"

"That wand has a twin, Mr. Potter, a twin. Yew, phoenix feather from the same phoenix as yours, 13,5 inches....Your wand is the twin of the wand of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Rather poetic, isn't it, sir?"

"Yes, I agree. I believe we can expect great things from you...Mr. Potter, great things...maybe terrible things....After all, I see so much of him in you, you have his potential..."

A smile tugged at Harry's lips as he paid for his wand.

Hagrid was waiting for him outside, and Harry decided to keep his conversation with Ollivander a secret from him.

* * *

The 1st of September, Harry awoke to the sound of Hedwig hooting loudly.

"Shh....Shut the fuck up! Uncle Vernon will be mad at us!"

Hedwig was Harry's pet owl, a gift from Hagrid in the day of his birthday. Hagrid said that owls were very useful, because they carried your post and packages.

Since Harry had virtually no hopes of going back to sleep, he stretched and stood up, feeding Hedwig some treats.

He then went to check his stuff, neatly tucked away in a trunk he'd purchased.

He checked out the clock on the wall.

_'10 past 8...the train ticket Hagrid gave me says it departs at 11....London should take us an hour to get to....I have some time to eat something...' ___

__Uncle Vernon (and by extension, the whole family) woke up at 8:30. He'd notified Harry that they would be going to London regardless, because he'd be running some errands for Grunnings, Uncle Vernon's firm, which made drills._ _

__Once in London, Uncle Vernon was extremely happy to ditch Harry at 10:30 in King's Cross station._ _

__Suddenly, Harry realized he had a problem. The ticket said the train would depart from Platform 9 and 3/4. There was no such platform, at least to muggles._ _

_'Shit, shit! I should've asked Hagrid!'_

____

____

____Harry looked at the clock hanging from a pillar. 10:45. He was going to miss it._ _ _ _

____"Ron, dear, don't wave your wand like that! The Muggles are going to see it!"_ _ _ _

____"Sorry, mum!"_ _ _ _

____Harry perked up at the mention of the word Muggles._ _ _ _

____He looked up from his thoughts and saw a family of 6 walking towards the border of platform 9 and 10. The family was all composed of red-heads, the mother and her sons, 4 males (2 of them were identical twins) and a little girl._ _ _ _

____"Uh...em...Hello?"_ _ _ _

____The woman looked at him with a sweet smile that made Harry want to puke._ _ _ _

____"Oh, first time to Hogwarts, honey? Don't worry, it's Ron's first time too."_ _ _ _

____One of the boys, Ron, looked to Harry and waved._ _ _ _

____"Where is Platform 9 and 3/4, ma'am?"_ _ _ _

____"We'll show you. Percy, you go first..."_ _ _ _

____Percy, the eldest son, calmly approached the border of the 2 platforms and walked through it, vanishing._ _ _ _

____"Now you, Fred and George."_ _ _ _

____The twins stepped through the platform._ _ _ _

____"See, it's easy...try and run a bit if you are nervous."_ _ _ _

____Harry gripped his cart and starting picking up his pace, he was going to crash in 1, 2, 3....He appeared in the same place he was before, but now, instead of an empty track, there was a blood red locomotive with smoke billowing up from its chimney. From the pillar, the sign read Platform 9 and 3/4._ _ _ _

_'Brilliant.'_

Harry moved aside as Ron, the mother and the girl stepped through too.

"What's your name, dear, I don't believe I've asked?"

"Harry. Harry Potter."

"Oh dear. I am Molly Weasley, and this is Ginny...How did you come here? Who brought you? Oh, sorry, you must be overwhelmed by so many questions..."

Harry smiled weakly, wishing she'd shut up.

"No, don't worry. I'm used to it by now."

"Mom? Do you reckon he remembers You-Know-Who?" asked Fred.

"FRED! I forbid you ask him!" said Mrs. Weasley. "In any case, you should get going, and Fred and George, if you want to meet up with Lee, this should be the time..."

Percy, Fred and George left to look for their friends in the train.

Ron cleared his throat.

"Mind if I stick with you on the train? I don't know anyone yet..."

Harry who didn't really mind, as he didn't know anyone yet except Draco, who he didn't know the location of, accepted.

Ron and Harry started leaving, and Harry got a last glance at Mrs. Weasley and Ginny.

He heard a small giggle, and saw Ginny smile at him while turning beet red.

It took Harry a moment to realize he was smiling involuntarily.

* * *

Ron and Harry sat down on an empty compartment, and fell for a moment silent.

"So..." asked Ron awkwardly," Who do you live with?"

"My Muggle Aunt and Uncle."

"It must be fun, you know, living with Muggles."

"Eh. I take it you are from a wizard family?"

"Yeah, the Weasleys. We live back in Devon. Our house is not big, we-we haven't got that much money as other wizarding families do...but you know, it's home."

"Mmmm..."

"I have two more brothers, Charlie and Bill. They are both out of school by now. Charlie works in Romania, studying dragons, and Bill works for Gringotts."

"Gringotts?"

"Yeah, he's a curse-breaker. You see, goblins think it's useful to open old tombs, get some of their gold. But tombs are protected by cursed and traps. That's where my brother comes in."

Harry was not particularly interested in this conversation, but he did not hate Ron like he did most people. It was...neutral.

"Bill's in Egypt now. So...yeah."

"What does your dad do?"

"He works at the Ministry of Magic."

"There's a ministry for magic?"

"Yeah. They run everything, make sure we are not discovered by Muggles and so on....they also deal with evil wizards and witches, like, You-Know-Who."

"What does he do?"

"He works at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. Small job, but Dad say's its very important. You have to make sure Muggle objects are not enchanted by wizards and that sort of thing. I think a week ago there was this pair of pruning scissors that had a mind of its own. Really nasty stuff. It may not seem like it, but that could be very serious for the Muggles."

Harry got a mad mental image of the pruning scissors chasing and killing Aunt Petunia, and he had to fight off the urge to laugh.

"Bloody hell...I forgot to go to the loo. Excuse me, Harry."

He stood up, and Harry went back to his thoughts.

"Hello? Is this compartment occupied? I think I will go mad if I hear Neville s-OH GOD! HARRY IT'S YOU!"

Harry turned his head around and was met by a bushy brown mane, and some cold, calculating eyes he recognized.

Hermione Granger rushed up to him and hugged him tight.

"Hermione! What are you doing here?"

"I know! What are the odds of us finding ourselves again?"

"Come sit here."

"So....do any surgeries lately?"

Hermione pounced at him and covered his mouth.

"SHHHH...."

"The fuck-"

"Don't mention that! Harry, they don't know what I've done, you can't tell them! I have to be normal!"

"Why not? It's a part of you! It's not like I care, frankly, but it's strange."

"What's strange is to enjoy performing surgeries on dolls, much less animals! Just don't mention it!"

"What? That you are a weirdo like me?"

"Harry, shut up!

"There's a line between hiding it, like I do, and rejecting it like you are trying to."

"Harry, I'm going to jinx you. And believe me, I'm becoming rather good at it."

The compartment door opened again, and in came Ron.

"Hey again! What are you two doing?"

"Nothing" they answered at the same time.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Ron Weasley."

"Hermione Granger. A pleasure."

Hermione looked with a furrowed brow towards Harry and started to read one of her school books.

Ron whispered to Harry's ear: "What sort of know-it-all reads instead of socializing."

"I HEARD YOU."

Ron went beet red, and Harry stifled a laugh.

"Clearly, you are not very smart."

"I am!"

"Prove it. Do a charm."

"Ok."

Ron opened his coat and took out a small rat.

"He's Scabbers. He's just my old rat. Ok. 'Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.'

He waved his wand, and Scabbers was grey as always.

Hermione let out a girlish giggle.

"Clearly you are not a very good wizard." She drew out her wand and cast "Colovaria!" Scabbers turned gold instantly.

"Hmph" grumbled Ron.

Hermione stuck out a pink tongue at Ron, and she reversed the spell.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Do you want any sweets from the cart, dears?" said a plump witch from the door.

"No, thank you. I brought food" said Ron holding up a crumpled paper.

Harry was starving though, so he said:

"Give me a little bit of everything!"

The plump witch received Harry's generous payment, and soon Harry, Hermione and Ron's arms were full of sweets.

Ron explained to Harry and Hermione what some of the sweets were.

Harry started on a chocolate frog, while Ron attacked a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Hermione opened a packet of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and soon was blowing large blue bubbles, while she read her book quietly.

There was another knock at the door.  


"Harry? Are you there? I'd hate to knock on another dozen compartments."

Hermione opened the door this time. 

"Uh, Hello. I'm looking for Harry." 

"I belong to you but others use me more often than you do. What am I?" 

Draco thought for a moment. 

"My name. Draco Malfoy." 

"Hermione Granger. Come on in, Harry's with me." 

Draco came in, while the door was guarded by two brutish looking students. 

"Hello Harry. I was wondering where you were." 

"Hello, Draco. Want to sit here?" 

"I'd rather he didn't" said Ron. 

"Don't be rude, Ron" chastised him Hermione. 

"No, I already have a compartment." Draco wrinkled his nose. "Red hair, freckles, you're a Weasley, right?" 

"Damn right, Malfoy, and proud to be." 

"And you, Hermione...I don't recognize you? Oh, gosh, don't tell me you're a muggle-born." 

"I am, and there is nothing wrong with me. Or is it?" 

"Well, my father says muggles are stupid." 

"Well, good thing I don't care what your father says, Draco. I'd rather hear what you think." 

Draco's mouth hung wide open. 

"I just thought since you were so...that you couldn't be a muggle-born." 

"Smart?" said Hermione with her trademark smirk."Oh, I try to be. Your father may be right though. Most Muggles are really stupid." 

Draco flushed, and then realized he had gone red and shook his head to clear it. 

"Anyways. Just wanted to check on you. These guys back here-" he pointed to the brutes behind him," are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Not very smart, but they're loyal. You might want to start getting better friendships, Harry." He gestured towards Ron and made a strange gesture towards Hermione. 

"Thank you, but I think I'm fine with you, Hermione and Ron." 

"Now, naff off Malfoy!" growled Ron. 

Hermione elbowed him hard. 

"I'll see you at Hogwarts, Harry. Weasley. Gr-Hermione." 

He left closing the door behind him, as if he was eager to get out of there. 

"Speaking of that," Hermione pointed towards the window, "I will go get changed, we're almost there. You two should do the same." 

Harry looked out the window, and sure enough, a dark figure of a castle started looming over them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, review, review, review!


End file.
